State of the State

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

On Jan. 17, 2017, Gov. Rick Snyder laid out his vision for Michigan in his seventh State of the State address. His speech was brimming with praise and positivity, and painted a rosy picture of how our state’s comeback has benefitted Michiganders everywhere. But unfortunately, most working families, students and seniors throughout Michigan have yet to feel it.

House Democrats know that it’s critical we make our economy work for everyone again. However, we can’t focus on creating more jobs without also investing in our future workforce and preparing Michigan’s young minds for their future careers. According to a study sitting on the governor’s desk, our schools are underfunded by $1,200 per student, which the governor failed to address during his hour-long speech.

What’s more, since the majority party has been in control, our state has stopped investing in key areas of our infrastructure and local communities. Serious infrastructure issues like the water crisis in Flint, the sinkhole in Fraser and the deteriorating conditions of our roads have proven that we cannot wait to address problems until they’ve already occurred. We must be more proactive in investing in our infrastructure and communities in order to build a healthier and safer Michigan.

As House Democrats, our priority is you. We don’t have wealthy CEOs for neighbors, and we aren’t beholden to special interests. Our policies are focused on bettering the lives of regular people throughout the state. We will fight for a Michigan that puts you first.

To learn more about how the House Democrats responded to the governor’s State of the State address, please read the following:

Fixing UIA

Legislative Democrats are preparing to introduce a package of bills that will restore lost income, fees and penalties to people falsely accused of unemployment fraud, improve the state’s Unemployment Insurance Agency and hold accountable employers who fail to pay into the state’s unemployment fun

Protecting Local Schools

On Jan. 20, the School Reform Office distributed a letter to parents, guardians and academic administrators around the state, alerting them to the potential for their schools to be closed by the end of the year.

Saving Retiree Pensions and Health Care

After putting in a lifetime of hard work, senior citizens deserve financial security and comfort in their golden years. People who played by the rules and responsibly set money aside, or worked in the public sector and qualified for a pension, shouldn’t have the rules changed on them.